Entrepreneur of the Year May 11th, 2006
|
Minneapolis, May 11, 2006 - RJF Agencies' CEO named Twin West Entrepreneur of the Year
The Twin West Chamber of Commerce announced today that Bill Jeatran, chief executive officer of Plymouth-based RJF Agencies, is the recipient of its Entrepreneur of the Year award. Other finalists for the award included William Gullickson Jr., president and CEO of McLaughlin-Gormley-King, and David Hartwell, president and CEO of Bellcomb Technologies Inc.
Finalists for the award were chosen from a very large pool of nominees through a lengthy process that included a written questionnaire and several interviews. The finalists were chosen based on several factors including business growth, strength and performance, community involvement, and overall leadership.
"I deeply appreciate the recognition and all the people who were involved in the process including the nominees, finalists and everyone involved at Twin West," Jeatran said. "But the truth is that any entrepreneur's success is directly correlated to the people working with him or her. We have extremely driven, talented, creative and caring people working at RJF. They choose to work and live by a set of values we promote and in which we believe. Without these 160 entrepreneurs, there's no chance I would have won this award."
Jeatran started RJF Agencies in 1986 by purchasing a one-person commercial insurance agency with annual revenues of less than $100,000. Jeatran has since grown the firm into a full-service risk management agency with revenues of $25 million, 160 employees and six offices.
President Tim Fleming, who joined Bill as a partner in the company in 1988, said, "Bill has always focused on two things that positive results will follow if we conduct business in a way in which we can be proud and if we get the right people on board. Those two things, more than anything else, have helped RJF get through difficult times and come out stronger and wiser than before."
About RJF Agencies
RJF Agencies, Inc., is among the 100 "largest brokers of U.S. business," according to the most recent Business Insurance ranking. Its values-driven approach facilitates growth and strengthens companies using comprehensive programs that reduce the cost of organizational risk. Its process integrates commercial insurance, employee benefits,
alternative risk programs, loss prevention, claim management, HR consulting, wellness management and financial services. With six offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin, RJF represents and services more than 6,000 corporate clients. In April 2005, industry trade magazine Rough Notes recognized RJF as its Agency of the Month. The Twin Cities Business Journal named it as the best mid-sized employer in Minnesota in 2005 and one of the fastest growing private companies in Minnesota six times in the past eight years. More information is at www.rjfagencies.com.
About Twin West Chamber of Commerce
The TwinWest Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business in government and provides its members opportunities to grow their businesses and improve their communities. TwinWest serves the communities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Medicine Lake, Minnetonka, new Hope, Plymouth, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding region. More information is at www.twinwest.com.